First kiss
5th December 1986
"Hi, Lizzy. Wanna go to the mall this afternoon? I really need a dress for New Year's." Becky asked her roommate as she walked into their shared dorm room.
"Hey, I'm sorry, Becky, I can't. I'm going to the library at 2."
"Why don't you go now? It's only 12, so you can come with me to the mall later on?"
"Euh, I'm going to the library to study."
"You've been studying all morning. I'm sure you don't need to study any more to pass your midterm next week. Besides, it's the weekend."
"Becky, I can't, … I, euh,…" Elizabeth hesitated. It looked as if she were searching her desk for possible excuses not to go to the mall with her friend.
"Wait a minute. This isn't about your midterm is it? Elizabeth Adams, are you going to the library to see Handsome Henry?" Becky smiled excitedly.
Elizabeth sighed. "Yes," she exhaled.
"Why didn't you just tell me? I'd go to the library too if I were you. I'll just ask Chris to join me.
Elizabeth smiled and was relieved.
Why didn't you tell me when you came home last night?" Becky was back to interrogation mode.
"Because, I don't want to sound all too excited and crazy about Henry. I just don't want to seem too involved just in case things don't turn out the way I want them to."
"Lizzy, you're crazy."
She bowed her head. Worry written across her face.
"Why wouldn't things turn out the way you want them to?"
"I don't know. Maybe, maybe I'm just being foolish, I don't want to get too invested," she was tapping her desk while saying those words to keep herself occupied.
"Tell me. What's going on."
"Well, yesterday, I was convinced he was going to kiss me. I mean, he told me over the phone he had wanted to kiss me on our first date. And I really thought he would, but when our date neared its ending yesterday, he seemed frozen, like, like he couldn't do it. Maybe he's having second thoughts."
"Lizzy, I think you're overthinking things. I thought you said you guys kissed."
"I kissed him, yes," she spoke loudly now, "but it wasn't even a kiss kiss. You know, I figured that if I kissed him, if I started it, he would take the lead and kiss me back, but he didn't."
Becky sighed. "I'm sure you're way overthinking everything."
"Maybe," her voice was just a whisper now.
"Is he picking you up later?"
"No, we're meeting in the library at two."
"What are you going to wear?" Elizabeth looked down at her attire. She pointed towards her washed off jeans and the hoodie she was wearing.
"Okay, if he kisses you wearing that, you guys will definitely get married." Becky joked as she went across the hall to ask if Christine would join her.
"We're going to the library for Pete's sake. You can't kiss in the library." Elizabeth shouted but Becky had already left.
"Can you?" she wondered to herself.
She was carrying her books and a notepad with her as she walked inside the library at 1.55 figuring Henry would already be there. He was always early. And she liked that. She was always punctual and he was early. She crossed the long and wide entrance hall to the staircase, which was in the back. She climbed up to the second floor and went to the Philosopher's corner. She scanned the area he was supposed to be in but she couldn't see him anywhere. She checked the cupboards and found Aquinas's works rather quickly. She turned around to see if he was anywhere near but nothing.
She waited and checked her watch regularly. She'd gone over all of the titles in the rack. She'd chosen a book she thought would be interesting. She sat down in a chair that was near the Aquinas section and decided to get started. She'd wait until he arrived. It was a little after two when she suddenly heard footsteps, she turned around to face the noise but her face fell when she saw it was not Henry. It was some other guy who needed to read something from Aquinas.
"Damn it," the guy muttered to himself.
Elizabeth looked up at him. "Can't find what you're looking for?"
"No, I'm looking for Aquinas's Treatise on Law. It should be here. I've asked the librarian but it's not here."
"Oh," Elizabeth started, "I took it. I'm sorry." She closed the book. "Here, you can have it."
"You sure you don't want to read it?"
"No, I just took it because it seemed interesting. I don't really need it. I'm waiting for someone actually but he's late and I just thought it'd help me pass the time."
"Oh, okay, well, thanks. I'm Tom by the way."
"Hi, Tom. I'm Elizabeth."
"Nice to meet you, Elizabeth. So, are you a student here at UVA?"
"Yes, I am. Math."
He was impressed. "Law," Tom said.
"Hence Aquinas's work." Elizabeth pointed towards the book that was now in someone else's hands.
"Yeah. Let's just hope I find it as interesting as you," he spoke. "I mean, as you found it interesting. Don't think that I'm interested in you," he looked up, "no, that's also wrong. You seem like a nice person, Elizabeth. And a smart one at that too, being interested in Treatise on Law and all. And I assume you're waiting here for someone special so I certainly don't want to be too forward. Excuse me, I'm rambling." He smiled.
Elizabeth chuckled. "Don't worry about it."
"I should get going," Tom said. He extended his hand and she took it. "It was really nice to meet you, Elizabeth. Maybe, I'll see you around sometimes."
"Likewise." As they were shaking hands, she could hear someone running on the wooden staircase. She looked towards the sound and saw him. He came running towards her; his study book in his right hand.
"Guess he's here," Tom spoke. "I'll leave you to it. Bye."
"Yeah, bye."
Henry had stopped in his tracks when he saw her talking to another guy. The guy nodded as he passed Henry. Henry acknowledged him and returned the polite gesture.
He started a faster pace again until he reached her. "Elizabeth, I'm so sorry I'm late." He was out of breath as he said it.
"It's ok...," she started but he inhaled sharply and interrupted her: "My mother called just as I was about to leave my apartment telling me my sister Maureen's pregnant and she just wouldn't put down the phone. I'm so sorry."
"Henry, it's okay. Don't worry about it."
"No, it's not. I'm 20 minutes late. I'm never late. I was afraid you might have left already. I came as soon as I could."
"Relax, Henry." She put her hand on his upper arm. "It's no big deal. Really."
He exhaled and her hand on his arm seemed to relax him.
"Thank you. I'm glad you're still here." He gave her the sweetest smile.
"Shall we go to the study hall?" he asked.
"I still need to look for some books; I haven't done that yet. I was talking to this guy, Tom. I guess I could've done that while I was waiting but I was afraid you wouldn't find me if I left here."
"It's fine, let's go find the books you need first." Henry put his hand on her lower back and gestured for her to take the lead in search of the books she needed.
Henry followed her around while she was browsing the numerous shelves filled with thousands of books. There was something so sexy about her being concentrated on finding the right works. He stood behind her while she was browsing through a book she thought might come in handy for her midterm. He inhaled her scent and was intoxicated by her perfume. He was drawn closer and closer to her. He was inches away from resting his chin on her shoulder. She turned to look at him and saw his puppy eyes. She smiled. "Okay, I've tested your patience long enough. I think I've got all the books I need. I'm good to go," she spoke.
"Elizabeth," he whispered as she turned around, her collection of books pressed against her chest where she kept them with her arms crossed.
She was trapped between the shelf she had just been looking at and him. He moved closer to her if that was even possible and put his book on the rack behind her. "Henry," it was her turn to whisper now. She looked at him. Her eyes were drawn to his lips.
"Elizabeth, I want to kiss you." He inched his face closer to hers. He put his hands on her shoulders and let them slide slowly down her arms that were still crossed in front of her chest. He took the books she was holding in front of her and put them on the rack with his. Having done that he turned all of his attention towards her again. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and brought his mouth inches from hers.
He pressed a soft kiss similar to the one she had given him last night to the corner of her mouth. He stayed there for a while. He was so sweet. Too sweet. He opened his eyes to see how she reacted to his kiss. He found her with her eyes closed and he still found her so beautiful. When he pulled away, she opened her eyes to find that his face was back in front of hers. He came closer. His mouth was slightly opened when he was about to lock lips with her, finally. As they came together, he heard her say: "Henry," barely audible but he heard, "kiss me."
It was nanoseconds before he closed the final gap between them. He pressed his body closer against hers and the bookshelf behind her seemed to rattle when their tongues found each other for the very first time. They seemed to be lifting each other upwards; she slid her hands up his chest before her arms rested on his shoulders to lock his head in place. Henry's hands slid down her shoulders to her lower back where he locked them and pulled her up just a little bit.
It seemed as if they had been flying when they pulled apart. He rested his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry, I should have done this yesterday," he spoke a little out of breath.
"Yeah, you should have." She pecked his lips again. Softly. She tasted so good.
She turned around, grabbed her books from the rack and gave him his. She headed for the reading hall. "Come on, you need to study."
Henry followed her. Of course he followed her. From this moment onward, he promised himself he would follow her everywhere she went.
Elizabeth chose a quiet corner of the reading room where there were only two other students. She put her books down and looked at Henry who was watchin her.
"Come on, McCord."
He smiled and chose the chair next to hers. She sat down as well and put her legs over his. She opened her book and started reading.
Henry put his hand on her knee and smiled at her. Finally, he also opened his book and started studying.
She looked at him over her book and leaned in to whisper. "When you're finished studying, we can do the thing you wanted to do yesterday and the thing we did back there," she gestured her head towards the area they had first kissed, "again."
Henry had never heard a better incentive to study before.
